Ryan Bertrand apologizes

LONDON -- A Chelsea left back has apologized for using an expletive in a Twitter post, and this time it wasn't Ashley Cole.

Ryan Bertrand, Cole's backup at Chelsea, failed to heed The Football Association's recent warnings about showing responsibility while using social networking sites when he swore in a tweet Thursday.

He later tweeted: "Sorry if i offended anyone by swearing as i don't encourage that type of language..."

Bertrand wrote the expletive, which was later deleted, after being forced to withdraw from contention for England's World Cup qualifier against San Marino on Friday because of illness.

It was earlier reported that Bertrand had a sore throat but the player took to Twitter to clarify that he had "swollen glands in his neck, a constant headache for three days" and been "freezing cold," according to BBC reports.

Cole was charged Monday with misconduct after insulting The FA with an obscenity in a Twitter message.